Organ Transplant Immunosuppressant Drugs Market to be suppressed by Dearth of Donor Organs

Organ transplantation involves surgical removal and transfer of a healthy organ from a living or dead human body into another individual’s body. Often, it is the only treatment for end stage organ failure. Use of immunosuppressant drugs post organ transplantation procedures has increased the success rate of organ transplants. Excess demand coupled with shortage of organ donors and procedural difficulties leads to different waiting time and success rates for organ transplantation. The global organ transplant immunosuppressant drugs market was valued at USD 5,139.7 million in 2014 and is expected to reach USD 3,234.8 million by 2023, declining at a CAGR of – (5.0)% during the forecast period 2015 to 2023.

The global organ transplant immunosuppressant drugs market is broadly categorized into drug class, transplants, and geography. Calcineurin inhibitors, anti-proliferative agents, mTOR inhibitors, antibodies, and steroids together comprise the organ transplant immunosuppressant drug class segment. Calcineurin inhibitors was the largest segment and was valued at USD 2,304.0 million in 2014. Over 85% of kidney transplant recipients are prescribed tacrolimus as maintenance immunosuppressive regimen mainly because of its higher potency and lower rejection and nephrotoxicity compared to cyclosporine. Antibodies is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. Corticosteroids are administered to patients in high dosages during initial stages of organ transplantation. The most common corticosteroids used in organ transplantation are oral prednisone, prednisolone, and methylprednisolone.

Applications for this market include transplantation of kidney, heart, liver, bone marrow, and lungs. The kidney transplant segment accounted for more than 50% share of the organ transplant immunosuppressant drugs market in 2014. This segment is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period as availability of kidneys from live and deceased donors is higher as compared to other organs. Bone marrow transplantation segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period from 2015 to 2023.

Geographically, the organ transplant immunosuppressant drugs market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Rest of the World (RoW). The market is majorly concentrated in the U.S., followed by Europe and Asia, especially China. According to the WHO, the U.S. was the most attractive country for organ transplantation in 2013, with more than 50% share of kidney transplantation, followed by liver and heart transplantations. The dominance was majorly due to improvement in technology, surgical techniques, and immunosuppressive drugs as well as growing success rate of organ transfer procedures. Growing medical tourism for organ transplantation in developing regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America (due to lower cost) as compared to developed regions helps boost the market in developing regions. However, decline in the CAGR is anticipated due to imbalance in demand and supply of donor organs. Requirement of continuous follow-up and risk of infection post organ transplantation could hamper the market growth and eventually restrict the uptake of immunosuppressant drugs.